1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ceiling fans and more particularly relates to ceiling fans having a plurality of for example two to six pitched blades which are spaced a distance below the surface of a room ceiling and suspended there below to rotate in a horizontal plane. Even more particularly the present invention relates to a ceiling fan of the type described and suspended below an air conditioning effluent duct and provided with means for rotating the multiple fan blades responsive to air flowing through the duct and into the room.
2. General Background
Various ceiling fans of different types and constructions are known in the art. Ceiling fans are usually electrically driven, and are provided with a means for hanging the fan with blades suspended a distance below the ceiling and rotating in a horizontal plane parallel to the ceiling. This positions the blades within the confines of the room to be cooled between ceiling and floor so that the blades are visible for aesthetic appeal and yet can evenly distribute air flow from the ceiling downwardly or vice versa in a circulating fashion.
Ceiling fans normally are suspended from the ceiling by means of a hook anchored in a ceiling beam or joist. A pipe connects to and depends from the hook and supports at its lower end the electrical motor. A spindle or rotating member forms a portion of the motor and to the spindle are a plurality of brackets each of which carries a single blade usually manufactured of wood. Such ceiling fans are commercially available and are known in the art. For example, typical manufacturers of such fans are Hunter of Memphis, Tenn., as well as Emerson Electric.
Ceiling fans of the electric type have been known for at least seventy to eighty years. Many of these ceiling fans were patented at the turn of the century and are known to be powered by either direct current or alternating current motors.
Use of such ceiling fans has become quite popular due in part to the utility and in further part to the ornamental and aesthetically pleasing appearance of the multiple blade construction which is disposed in the confines of the room and in clear view of occupants of the room. These motors usually turn at relatively low speeds of for example 250 to 500 r.p.m.'s so that the blades are visible. Thus the blades are usually of an attrative woodgrain finish or desired color.
Ceiling fans which are commercially available are typically electrically powered and thus require installation that might include structural modifications to an existing home and/or electrical rewiring.
Often times the dispersion of air into the home from such duct work creates drafts which are objectionable to the occupants. It is not uncommon to enter a room which has central air conditioning and heat and to sit in a particular position in the home and experience hot spots and cold spots. This problem is particularly irritating in places such as restaurants where it is not possible to move one's location to another spot in the room to get out of the path of onrushing cold air from an air conditioning duct.
Many devices have been patented which have attempted to solve the problem of distribution of air conditioning or heating as it is discharged into a room from a duct system. Devices of this type are typically known as "registers". See for example U.S. Pat. No. 2,363,839 entitled "Unit Type Air Conditioning Register". That device provides in part a housing secured to the discharge of the duct system. A motor is disposed within the duct work and provides a shaft to which is connected a fan which aids in the distribution of air currents.
Another type of air transfer device using a fan and motor arrangement can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,453 entitled "Air Transfer Device". In that patent a device for transferring air from the upper region of a room through an open doorway to the exterior of that room such as to an adjacent room is provided. The device includes an open ended casing or conduit mounted upright to a wall of the room just above a doorway, an electric fan is mounted in the casing or conduit to draw air downwardly into and through the casing or conduit, and a hinged shute is positioned at the bottom of the casing or conduit which when declined downwardly deflects such downwardly moving air out through the open doorway to the exterior of the room.
An air conditioning apparatus is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 2,239,848. That device provides a discharge into a room from an attic area and includes in part a motor and a plurality of blades which are placed in proximity to the register which forms an interface between the ceiling and the room.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,708 provides a "Ventilating System" for an enclosed space such as a room.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,093,936 issued to H. J. Spielmann provides an "Air Conditioning Device". That patent shows the use of a fan positioned at a register at the exit of a duct work system into a room with a baffle plate and the fan in combination assisting in distribution of air into the room.
U.S. Pat. No. 571,424 entitled "Heating and Ventilating Apparatus for Buildings" shows another device which utilizes an electrical fan in a partition so that air can be supplied by natural or forced draft.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,333,651 entitled "Ventilator" relates to a ventilator of the type used on ships for ventilation between and below decks.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,038,347 there is provided a "Air Conditioned Heating and Cooling System". In that patent there is seen an air conditioning system which utilizes air pressure in order to drive a fan that has a plurality of blades mounted on a common shaft. Air pressure is used to power a number of small vanes mounted for rotation on the common shaft with the fan blades.
3. General Discussion of the Present Invention
None of these patented devices provide a ceiling fan having a plurality of visible blades which are aesthetically pleasing, placed inside the confines of the room to be cooled or in which air is to be circulated, the blades being placed a distance below the ceiling of the room. Further, the present invention provides a common shaft which is driven by a squirrel cage type blower by air which flows through the duct work system of the home as force driven by a central air conditioning system. A housing is provided for attaching the apparatus to the effluent discharge of the duct work system into the room at the room register. Air entering the squirrel cage blower is diffused laterally into the room and the movement of duct work air from the duct work through the register and into the squirrel cage blower and thereafter after into the room produces rotational energy which is transferred from the squirrel cage blower to the common shaft and the fan blades which rotate in a horizontal plane a distance below the ceiling.